Summerville Roofing: Article About Metal Roof Coatings

Roofer term explained by Lowcountry Roofing of Summerville SC:Corrosion

Corrosion is a basic chemical process that occurs when metals are exposed to water, free oxygen and other common environmental molecules. As these reactions take place, they change the composition of the metal, resulting in the development of rusts or patinas. While some corrosion stops after a few microscopic layers, other forms can eat through thick metal.

Question and answer by Summerville roofer Lowcountry Roofing:Will a coating change the appearance of my roof?

Most coatings are designed to leave the appearance of your roof relatively unchanged. While you may notice slight visual differences at first, these are usually minimized by the drying process. Coatings can actually prevent your roofing from changing its optical characteristics over time, but if you'd like to go with something a bit different, there are also products that allow you to add a tint or sheen to your structure.

Lowcountry Roofing: Reliable Summerville SC Roofer

In most cases, your roof isn't left bare after being installed. The manufacturers that create the metal Summerville roofing used on many local homes and businesses generally place some form of protective topcoat on their products. With aluminum and similar alloys, it's not uncommon for the roof to be finished off with a thin layer of strong enamel or epoxy.

These coatings protect the metal surfaces of your roof, so your roof can protect your home. Regardless of how strong they are, building materials are subject to corrosion and degradation if they're directly exposed to water and oxygen, and these chemical processes severely weaken roofs.

Unfortunately, topcoats aren't impervious to natural erosion. UV exposure from sunlight, mechanical shape changes from thermal expansion, and physical impacts from hail and other flying debris all work to weaken or destroy the chemical bonds that hold topcoats together. The gaps that subsequently appear in these protective layers allow water to enter and eat away at the metal below.

Many homeowners notice that their topcoats are deteriorating because they can see visible signs of corrosive action, such as discolorations. In some cases, their roofs may even begin releasing rust-colored stains. Luckily, these issues can be repaired by experienced roofers even if it's unclear precisely where the damage is located.

Before beginning, roofers will check the integrity of any fasteners or joints on your roof. This ensures that they aren't missing gaps that would render the new barrier ineffective.

Like seals sprayed or painted over asphalt shingles, protective coatings can be applied to metal without removing the old layers. As long as the roofers have properly cleaned the roof surface with a pressure washer and a biodegradable detergent beforehand, the new coating will keep the elasticity of the older layers, and the roof will still benefit from increased thickness.

Most metal roof coatings are applied using some kind of spray device. These sprayers are typically designed to distribute microscopic particles without creating air bubbles that could compromise the barrier. Professionals work quickly to ensure that the coatings dry uniformly, but they're careful to build up layers of equivalent depth. They also pay special attention to gaps between adjacent panels and flashing sections; these zones are prime targets for moisture.

After a thin coat has been applied, the roofer must wait for it to dry as per the product instructions. While the weather and other conditions can affect required drying times, the curing process generally doesn't take too long.

Roofers repeat the application process two to three times depending on the topcoat product used and the nature of the job in question. By applying special coating formulas in this fashion, roofers can drastically increase the UV resistance of a roof as well as improve its ability to stop the passage of heat and moisture.

Contact Lowcountry Roofing today

For all of your roofing, siding, and window needs, call us at (843) 303-4080 or contact us via the below form.